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Book of Common Prayer

Daily Old and New Testament readings based on the Book of Common Prayer.
Duration: 861 days
Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
Version
Psalm 146-147

Psalm 146

The God of Compassion

Hallelujah!
My soul, praise the Lord.(A)
I will praise the Lord all my life;
I will sing to my God as long as I live.(B)

Do not trust in nobles,
in man, who cannot save.(C)
When his breath[a] leaves him,
he returns to the ground;
on that day his plans die.(D)

Happy is the one whose help is the God of Jacob,
whose hope is in the Lord his God,(E)
the Maker of heaven and earth,
the sea and everything in them.(F)
He remains faithful forever,(G)
executing justice for the exploited
and giving food to the hungry.(H)
The Lord frees prisoners.(I)
The Lord opens the eyes of the blind.(J)
The Lord raises up those who are oppressed.[b](K)
The Lord loves the righteous.(L)
The Lord protects foreigners
and helps the fatherless and the widow,(M)
but He frustrates the ways of the wicked.(N)

10 The Lord reigns forever;
Zion, your God reigns for all generations.(O)
Hallelujah!

Psalm 147

God Restores Jerusalem

Hallelujah!
How good it is to sing to our God,
for praise is pleasant and lovely.(P)

The Lord rebuilds Jerusalem;(Q)
He gathers Israel’s exiled people.(R)
He heals the brokenhearted
and binds up their wounds.(S)
He counts the number of the stars;
He gives names to all of them.(T)
Our Lord is great, vast in power;
His understanding is infinite.[c](U)
The Lord helps the afflicted
but brings the wicked to the ground.(V)

Sing to the Lord with thanksgiving;
play the lyre to our God,(W)
who covers the sky with clouds,
prepares rain for the earth,
and causes grass to grow on the hills.(X)
He provides the animals with their food,
and the young ravens, what they cry for.(Y)

10 He is not impressed by the strength of a horse;
He does not value the power[d] of a man.(Z)
11 The Lord values those who fear Him,
those who put their hope in His faithful love.(AA)

12 Exalt the Lord, Jerusalem;
praise your God, Zion!(AB)
13 For He strengthens the bars of your gates
and blesses your children within you.(AC)
14 He endows your territory with prosperity;[e](AD)
He satisfies you with the finest wheat.(AE)

15 He sends His command throughout the earth;
His word runs swiftly.(AF)
16 He spreads snow like wool;
He scatters frost like ashes;(AG)
17 He throws His hailstones like crumbs.
Who can withstand His cold?(AH)
18 He sends His word and melts them;
He unleashes His winds,[f] and the waters flow.(AI)

19 He declares His word to Jacob,
His statutes and judgments to Israel.(AJ)
20 He has not done this for any nation;
they do not know[g] His judgments.(AK)
Hallelujah!

Psalm 111-113

Psalm 111

Praise for the Lord’s Works

Hallelujah![a]
I will praise the Lord with all my heart
in the assembly of the upright and in the congregation.(A)

The Lord’s works are great,
studied by all who delight in them.(B)
All that He does is splendid and majestic;(C)
His righteousness endures forever.(D)
He has caused His wonderful works to be remembered.(E)
The Lord is gracious and compassionate.(F)
He has provided food for those who fear Him;(G)
He remembers His covenant forever.(H)
He has shown His people the power of His works
by giving them the inheritance of the nations.(I)
The works of His hands are truth and justice;
all His instructions are trustworthy.(J)
They are established forever and ever,
enacted in truth and in what is right.(K)
He has sent redemption to His people.(L)
He has ordained His covenant forever.
His name is holy and awe-inspiring.(M)

10 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom;(N)
all who follow His instructions[b] have good insight.(O)
His praise endures forever.(P)

Psalm 112

The Traits of the Righteous

Hallelujah![c]
Happy is the man who fears the Lord,
taking great delight in His commands.(Q)

His descendants will be powerful in the land;
the generation of the upright will be blessed.(R)
Wealth and riches are in his house,(S)
and his righteousness endures forever.(T)
Light shines in the darkness for the upright.(U)
He is gracious, compassionate, and righteous.(V)
Good will come to a man who lends generously
and conducts his business fairly.(W)
He will never be shaken.(X)
The righteous man will be remembered forever.(Y)
He will not fear bad news;
his heart is confident, trusting in the Lord.(Z)
His heart is assured; he will not fear.(AA)
In the end he will look in triumph on his foes.(AB)
He distributes freely to the poor;
his righteousness endures forever.(AC)
His horn will be exalted in honor.(AD)

10 The wicked man will see it and be angry;
he will gnash his teeth in despair.(AE)
The desire of the wicked man will come to nothing.(AF)

Psalm 113

Praise to the Merciful God

Hallelujah!
Give praise, servants of Yahweh;
praise the name of Yahweh.(AG)
Let the name of Yahweh be praised
both now and forever.(AH)
From the rising of the sun to its setting,
let the name of Yahweh be praised.(AI)

Yahweh is exalted above all the nations,(AJ)
His glory above the heavens.(AK)
Who is like Yahweh our God—
the One enthroned on high,(AL)
who stoops down to look
on the heavens and the earth?(AM)
He raises the poor from the dust
and lifts the needy from the garbage pile(AN)
in order to seat them with nobles—
with the nobles of His people.(AO)
He gives the childless woman a household,
making her the joyful mother of children.(AP)
Hallelujah!

Error: 'Sirach 43:1-12' not found for the version: Holman Christian Standard Bible
Error: 'Sirach 43:27-33' not found for the version: Holman Christian Standard Bible
Ephesians 4:1-16

Unity and Diversity in the Body of Christ

Therefore I, the prisoner for the Lord,(A) urge you to walk worthy of the calling you have received, with all humility(B) and gentleness, with patience,(C) accepting[a](D) one another in love,(E) diligently keeping the unity(F) of the Spirit(G) with the peace(H) that binds us. There is one body and one Spirit(I)—just as you were called to one hope[b](J) at your calling— one Lord,(K) one faith,(L) one baptism, one God(M) and Father(N) of all, who is above all and through all and in all.(O)

Now grace was given to each one of us(P) according to the measure of the Messiah’s gift. For it says:

When He ascended(Q) on high,
He took prisoners into captivity;[c]
He gave gifts to people.(R)[d]

But what does “He ascended” mean except that He[e] descended to the lower parts of the earth?[f](S) 10 The One who descended is also the One who ascended far above all the heavens,(T) that He might fill[g] all things.(U) 11 And He personally gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, 12 for the training of the saints in the work of ministry, to build up the body of Christ,(V) 13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of God’s Son,(W) growing into a mature man with a stature(X) measured by Christ’s fullness. 14 Then we will no longer be little children, tossed by the waves and blown around by every wind of teaching,(Y) by human cunning with cleverness in the techniques of deceit. 15 But speaking the truth in love, let us grow in every way into Him who is the head(Z)—Christ. 16 From Him the whole body, fitted and knit together(AA) by every supporting ligament, promotes the growth(AB) of the body for building up itself in love by the proper working of each individual part.

John 1:1-18

Prologue

In the beginning(A) was the Word,[a](B)
and the Word was with God,
and the Word was God.(C)
He was with God in the beginning.(D)
All things were created(E) through Him,(F)
and apart from Him not one thing was created
that has been created.
Life was in Him,[b](G)
and that life was the light(H) of men.
That light shines(I) in the darkness,
yet the darkness did not overcome[c] it.(J)

There was a man named John(K)
who was sent from God.
He came as a witness
to testify about the light,
so that all might believe through him.[d]
He was not the light,
but he came to testify(L) about the light.
The true light,(M) who gives light to everyone,
was coming into the world.[e](N)

10 He was in the world,
and the world was created(O) through Him,
yet the world did not recognize Him.
11 He came to His own,[f]
and His own people[g] did not receive Him.
12 But to all who did receive(P) Him,(Q)
He gave them the right(R) to be[h] children(S) of God,(T)
to those who believe(U) in His name,(V)
13 who were born,(W)
not of blood,[i]
or of the will(X) of the flesh,(Y)
or of the will of man,[j]
but of God.(Z)

14 The Word(AA) became flesh[k](AB)
and took up residence[l] among us.
We observed His glory,(AC)
the glory as the One and Only(AD) Son[m] from the Father,
full of grace and truth.
15 (John testified concerning Him and exclaimed,
“This was the One of whom I said,
‘The One coming after me(AE) has surpassed me,(AF)
because He existed before me.’”)(AG)
16 Indeed, we have all received grace(AH) after grace
from His fullness,
17 for the law was given through Moses,(AI)
grace and truth(AJ) came through Jesus Christ.
18 No one has ever seen God.[n]
The One and Only(AK) Son[o]
the One who is at the Father’s(AL) side[p]
He has revealed Him.(AM)